Why APC e-membership registration is “failing” in Aninri

Despite big efforts and massive publicity outreach the All Progressives Congress (APC) is still being rejected in Aninri at the moment.

According to a report released this evening by Joshua Ogbonna, Aninri party youths leader who is charged to lead the “mass” recruitment, only 3,402 have registered in the 10 political wards in the council.

Oduma ward 4, area of council chairman, is still leading with 584 while the Commissioner for Youths and Sports’ ward trails it with 266 registered members. Nenwe ward 2, Ndeabor and Okpanku indicate worst case scenarios, with 189, 193 and 192 respectively.

Joshua said the figures were culled directly from the database at exactly 4.50pm on Wednesday. He posted it at 5.09pm.

“Something is wrong, I must tell you, Jude,” a party stalwart in the zone said, added that APC would not make the 2027 elections in Aninri. While this man is right that something is wrong, he is wrong that APC candidates would not be declared winners in the elections.

Aninri politicians, most of whom loudmouth self-acclaimed grassroots organisers are just what they are – talkatives! Forming and joining countless support groups during campaign periods, they boast and sell lies to candidates that they’re “men of the people” in their places.

But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which stayed in power for almost 30 years in Aninri, had never won a single election in the local government area. It had “structures”, fake structures that were never in touch with the real voters. Cabals simply sat together, wrote elections results and defended them.

Today, circumstances are exposing these politicians and their wretched weaknesses as Governor Peter Mbah is under fire to please the president and also get himself reelected under APC in 2027.

Is anything really wrong in Aninri? Administration after administration had failed to address core issues that would make any party in Aninri a grassroots movement, all the time sidestepping real voters to serve political patronage.

“They [Aninri council chairmen] focus on paying the VIPs, their friends and their families. They don’t know anything about the concerns of the common man,” Comr. Julius Okorie, analyst from neighbouring Awgu council area said.

For example, in May 2022, the Federal Government gave about 10,000 bags of rice to Aninri. It strictly said the “palliative” was for the “poorest of the poor”. But “stakeholders”, instead of the poor in Aninri villages, came and took the rice for themselves. All the 10 councillors took about 5 bags for him or herself. Then they went to their villages, gathered the people, shared half bags among the teaming populace before photographing the scene and sharing them as pieces of evidence of “reaching the grassroots”.

• 2 richest men in Aninri join APC, declare support for Nwanjoku, Gov Mbah

Then in 2023, Peter Obi came with his tsunami, and number of so-called grassroots organisers were roundly defeated in open contest in their polling units. For decades, the poor and the real voters are being trampled upon, as each chairman dutifully took what belong to the people and share them to the rich. This is the Aninri tradition.

PDP couldn’t go out for any free and fair election. Can APC?

Aninri council boss Prince Ugochukwu Nwanjoku, today the leader of APC in the zone, is an able man. But unfortunately, a lot of people who don’t understand grassroots movement have his ears. So whether or not APC will succeed in Aninri depends entirely on his willingness to refocus on who is more important in electoral victory – the people or the “stakeholders”. That’s, the empty stakeholders.

“You risk death”, Prince Nwanjoku warns vandals as he reconnects Aninri to national power grids

Prince Ugochukwu Nwanjoku has re-stated his resolve to fight for the people of Aninri. During his campaign in 2024, he made a number of promises which included electrifying the entire zone in less than 18 months.

He has, yesterday, completely fulfilled that promise – less than 14 months after he took oath of office. The completion was announced in a brief circular shared yesterday by the youths leader of Aninri All Progressives Congress (APC), Joshua Ogbonna.

“The Aninri Council Chairman, Hon. Prince Ugochukwu Nwanjoku, has fixed the vandalized electricity poles at the Ndeabor‑Awgu axis, as he promised,” the statement read.

• “Godfrey Okoye University is the best,” Prince Nwanjoku says at its 13th Convocation

For ages, Aninri – a largely remote agrarian area – has surrendered to darkness and embraced it. One by one several political leaders came and passed by since 1999 without even a thought on the suffering of the locals in this regard – despite that billions of naira was regularly earmarked for Aninri electricity projects in national allocations.

In a distant past, feeble attempts were made and Aninri was connected to electricity. However, the joy was temporal as vandals swooped on the installations, carried them proudly to open market places and sold them without any consequence.

People saw clear picture of what has been happening few months ago when former Aninri Legislative Leader, Igwe Philip, was unanimously impeached by his colleagues. Among other things, he allegedly sponsored vandals of 300KVA transformer at Afo-Agbo near the council’s headquarters. Although the allegation hasn’t been proven, Philip has not denied it either.

Prince Ugochukwu Nwanjoku has radically rewritten the Aninri story. Having so far installed 19 transformers across all villages in the council, he has replaced the stolen cable wires and restore hundreds of poles.

Constituents react as Ugochukwu Nwanjoku connects Aninri to national grids

Finally, yesterday, the chairman connected the zone to national power grid and joy erupted all across the land.

“I witnessed it, and I’m planning to relocate to Nenwe on February (2026),” said Nwonye Sunday, Aninri-born welder who “ran” to neighbouring Awgu to continue his craft because of no electricity.

“Nobody was buying from us there at Nenwe, and I’ll tell you why. Customers were going to do their works at Awgu and other places outside Aninri because it was cheaper in those places.

“That customer will have to pay for transportation and for the product. Yet if you calculate it, it’s cheaper than what is obtainable in Nenwe. Do you know why? The welder in Awgu used electricity but those of us in Aninri used generators. You have to buy gasoline, you have to repair and service your gen (generator). In the end the cost of production will make all the difference,” Nwonye said.

In a private chat with Info Wars, Prince Nwanjoku said that each of the promises he made on campaign trails were not meant to entice the people.

“I’ll fulfil them, all of them. We understand the economic importance of installing a functional electricity in the council. That’s why we’re leaving no stone unturned to make sure that every nooks and crannies is powered,” he said, vowing to show no pity to anyone who would attempt to vandalize the installations under his watch.

The Electricity Act 2023 (amended 2025) now includes in it a stringent penalty of life imprisonment.

ODUFFA: Football game elections pitch two villages together in Aninri

Elections of new leaders of Oduma Football Federated Association (ODUFFA) would hold on January 1, 2026. Already – like always – tempers are rising, as the contestants and their supporters draw swords and are beginning to fight dirty on social media.

At the centre of the contention lies crucial assumption that the association’s presidency is, in fact, the only serious position. Although football usually bring the 18 Oduma villages together, contest for ODUFFA presidency always divide them.

Two men has stepped out, vying for the all-important spot in Oduma football community. Mr Augustine Uwanekwu is from Amagu community while Mr Samson Okechukwu is from Amorji Oduma.

The little we know about the ODUFFA presidencial candidates

Augustine Uwanekwu (alias Mbe Kwuoto), about 37 years old, schooled at Central School Oduma between 1994 and 2000. An avid sports lover, Uwanekwu has participated in all sports activities during his primary school days, representing his school more than once in Aninri and around Enugu State.

• FULL LIST – beneficiaries of Anayo Onwuegbu empowerment programme; a woman gets okada
• “Godfrey Okoye University is the best,” Prince Nwanjoku says at its 13th Convocation

At Community Secondary School Oduma, where he furthered his education, Mbe – as he is popularly known – left even bigger imprints. Again, he was in sports and also made marks in Man-O-War society.

His aspiration to join the army after his graduation, however, suffered setback. So Mbe returned to Oduma and resumed his passions: sports and politics.

He won the ODUFFA’s best goalkeeper of the year four consecutive times. Retiring from playing Amagu team, Mbe was appointed it’s coach. In matter of months he had beat it to shape and won ODUFFA trophy two consecutive times, making him the only coach to achieve such a feat in Amagu football history.

Mbe kwoto has served several administrations in different capacities in Amagu autonomous community. Currently the Treasurer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oduma ward 2, Mbe gets around a lot.

His leadership skills and his boundless energy are behind his mass following and popularity in Oduma and beyond.

In the other hand, Samson Okechukwu is from Amorji. Much is not known about his childhood as some alleged he had lived and schooled in the North until his adolescence age.

One time president of defunct National Association of Oduma Undergraduates – the association he helped to destroy – Samson is a moderately successful builder by local standard. Although a lover of football, he never play for his Amorji community in ODUFFA tournaments. Sometimes, he is tapped to officiate matches.

But Samson Okechukwu – popularly called Sammy – is allegedly an irredeemable gambler, literally living in bets houses and playing Visuals irresponsibly.

In his first campaign speech before Oduma online communities recently, he proposed to convert ODUFFA to women league where men’s participation would be abysmally minimal.

“We know why he said that,” Ekene Nwachukwu from Ukete village told Info Wars, adding that Sammy is a first-class womaniser.

How Amorji and Amagu are reacting to the elections

Nearly every person in Amagu is “fully supporting” Augustine Uwanekwu for ODUFFA presidency, several informal surveys show. According to sources from Amorji, there are reasons – apart from competence question – why Sammy is not enjoying such acceptance in his own place.

“He impregnated three village girls across Oduma and denied all of them,” a man from Amorji said in anonymity.

“Second, our people (Amorji) fielded a great candidate, a man who could have given ODUFFA noble job. That young man is the people’s choice; he is loved among Oduma sports community.

“Sammy is no match to this man. But it was Sammy who vowed that ‘over his dead body’ should he step down for the man whom Amorji as a community had nominated. The man has since withdrawn from the race.

“Amorji can’t afford to bring shame to its name before Oduma by supporting a man we’re sure would disappoint ODUFFA. We can’t send a third-rate candidate while we have some excellent men in Amorji. Sammy must withdraw or he can go ahead, alone to the polls,” the source concluded.

FULL LIST: beneficiaries of Anayo Onwuegbu empowerment programme; a woman gets okada

It’s now four days after Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu gifted his loyalists with various items in an elaborate show he labelled “empowerment programme”. Yet his constituents are still talking about it with unusual interest.

But it’s a thing of interest, anyways. Particularly glaring are the names who received the gifts, and the gifts themselves.

• Why Rep Anayo Onwuegbu will still win in 2027 – Analysis
• Constituents lead fight against Reps member Anayo Onwuegbu over “Utara” machine empowerment

Info Wars reported that Onwuegbu, the House of Representatives of Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River constituency, shared fufu (utara egboro) pounding machines, knapsack sprayers, hand hair dryers, fertilisers, and motorcycles to his constituents.

Name of beneficiaries of Anayo Onwuegbu empowerment programme

1. Hon. Uche Ogbonna – fufu (utara egboro ) machine
2. Hon. Mark Ogbonna – maize seedlings
3. Hon. Jonathan Ivoke – sewing machine
4. ‘Elder Stateman’ – sewing machine
5. Hon. El Aja Ogbonna – Knapsack sprayer
6. Hon. Gabriel Ukpabi – Hand hair Dryer
7. Mrs. Gladys Chukwu – Motorcycle

Why we hate what Engr. Onwuegbu did – Okpanku Worldwide

Okpanku Worldwide, pressure group within the constituency, has issued warning that it would work against the lawmaker should he want to seek reelection in 2027.

In a phone chat with Info Wars by its President James Ajah, the group clarified the points it’s pained.

“I don’t have problems with giving people gifts; that’s good. But the benefactor ought to have considered the needs of those receiving those gifts beforehand.

“This man gave hair dryer to my brother, Hon Gabriel Ukpabi. What would he be doing with hair dryer? Unless he has told our Rep that he is dreaming of starting female hair salon business in coming days,” the President said.

It’s noteworthy that Gabriel Ukpabi served in the lofty position as the Secretary to the Local Government (SLG) of Aninri between 2022 and 2024. One time council Chairman and former Commissioner for Labour and Employment in Enugu State, Hon. Uche Ogbonna is not just a good man in many people’s definition but he is also a major stakeholder in Enugu West politics.

Also, Engr. Jonathan Ivoke, El Ajah, ‘Elder Stateman’, and Mark Ogbonna are well-meaning figures in several important circles.

“The worst of it is the utara egbolo machine [fufu pounding machine] given to some of our major stakeholders. Empowering a former council chairman with utara egboro machine is the height of the insult,” former aide to Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Cmr. Christian Onyeabor, said.

One Mrs Gladys Chukwu who is middle-aged received commercial motorcycle (Okada). Yet another woman, from Inyi Achi was given a bag of fertiliser.

Anyone examining the gifts and the beneficiaries would find the brains of a simpleton at work. For example, what would a full-time trader from Inyi Achi be doing with fertiliser in a dry season? Even in Aninri, which boasts of most fertile farmlands in the constituency, fertiliser is not anyone’s priority at this moment because planting season is long gone and the next one isn’t anywhere in sight.

Again, if Mrs Gladys Chukwu sells her Okada then the purpose of the empowerment is defeated. Would she now convert from petty trader to Okada rider? We’ll have to find out.

Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu, many times in the past, has proven that he understands nothing about representation. As next election season draws closer we’ll see whether or not he’ll respect himself by not seeking reelection.